VALIUM® is a composition currently marketed for the management of anxiety disorders and the relief of anxiety symptoms. It is administered both orally and by injection. The active ingredient in VALIUM® is diazepam, which is typically provided in doses of 2 mg to 20 mg.
The delivery methods for diazepam have a number of limitations. Oral administration typically provides for a relatively long onset of action (e.g. ≧1 h). Intravenous injection, while rapidly delivering a drug, involves the discomfort and risk of infection associated with catheterization or injection. It is desirable to provide a new route of administration for diazepam that allows for a rapid onset of action without the disadvantages of catheterization or injection. The provision of such a route is an object of the present invention.